Mancora

Once one of Peru’s most important fishing communities, the town has faced economic hardship in the last 15 years, in part associated with the collapse of the fish stocks.

The collapse has been in part due to over-fishing, especially by foreign-owned mega-trawlers,  which practice the ocean equivalent of what clear-cutting is to forests, and often come closer to shore than international and local fishing-rights and environmental protection agreements allow.

Mancora also suffered from devastating El Niños in 1983 and 1998 which caused such extensive mudslides that they reshaped the coastline and changed coastal sea currents.

The combined effects have had a catastrophic impact on the basis of the local economy: the collapse of the fishing industry has lead to a sharp rise in unemployment and social problems, such as family violence, alcoholism & drug dependance, and has slowed the pace of development.

 

On the positive side, Máncora and the surrounding region have more recently begun to benefit from the rise of tourism, as the area is blessed with a spectacular beach and one of the best surfing spots in South America. With temperatures of 20º C (70º F) in Winter (July, August, September) to more than 35º C (95º F) during the summer (January to May), the weather is perfect all year round—it never rains during the day and clouds are a rarity.

The beach is internationally-known as one of South America’s best for surfing and kite surfing. The beach is endless and you can always find a restaurant serving fresh ceviche and cold drinks. But if you prefer to chill-out, there are private, quieter areas where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the travellers’ circuit. At night the town comes alive. It is never hard to find a place to party in Mancora.